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Introduction
Campaign Introduction Vorn Kalak's fall ushered in a time of prosperity in the Kingdom of the West. Peace was made with the Imperium, signed by King Donner himself at the restored great hall at Parthenel. The warring clans of giants from the City of Brass scattered, except for those who made peace with the King of the West and were permitted to reoccupy and rebuild the shining city after many gargantuan battles had nearly destroyed it. It is now ruled by cloud giants from the Lofty Citadel, permanently hovering above the city. Its inhabitants are a mix of the large races, a refuge for those among them seeking civilization and respect. If you are looking for a fire giant smith for hire, or a hill giant scholar, you will find them in the City of Brass. The many kingdoms of the Westmarch rejoined under King Donner, reviving the Kingdom of the West. The uplands were planted with crops, the port cities did a thriving trade with both Norge and the Southlands, and the King's table was regularly visited by the dwarves of Rivergold and the elves of the Evergreen Wood. The Sundering Just a few years into its resurgence, the Kingdom of the West faced its greatest challenge. All at once, the spells and enchanted items throughout the world ceased to function. To prevent a new Godswar, the forces of Law throughout the planes had sealed off the Prime Material from all intrusion. The connections to all other planes had been closed, and this disrupted all lines of power. The fanatical Nulls saw their chance for maximum chaos and threw open the doors of their Sightless Citadel (some say that perhaps the collapse of magic sundered their prison, and it was not by choice). The Tyrant, the Tarrasque, and a host of other abominations spilled forth into the Underdark. Some found their way to the surface through the mazes beneath the Undertower in the Occident, overrunning that unfortunate city and spilling out into the countryside. Enraged at being prevented from reaching Sigil, the Tyrant sought to enslave all in the Underdark who still retained any amount of power that he could bend to his will and use to find a way back. The Scaled City, home to the dragons and their kin, fell to the Tyrant's forces, and its denizens scattered. The King of the West honored his pact with the Council of Dragons and offered the refugees protection and a home in the city of Regis Vale and the surrounding mountains and lands. The dragonborn now mix freely among the peoples of that kingdom. At the same time, a rift to the Far Realms was opened in the Ethereal Plane. Some blame the Nulls. Others say that mad cultists simply chose their moment well. Regardless, the Ethereal Plane became suffused with corruption and chaos. The elemental lords banded together and fought the horrors back, finally sealing the rift. But the damage was done -- the Ether was changed forever into a roiling Elemental Chaos. Meanwhile, in Sigil Zilongo removed himself and his demiplane from the City of Doors and nobody knows where he took it. Control of the city, such as it was, remained in the hands of the Regent and its supporters. The members of the adventuring party went various ways: Some got word of the impending closure of the planar gates, and traveled to the Prime while they still could. Others joined Zilongo and his constructs, vanishing with them when the entrance to the demiplane was removed from Sigil. The rest either still live in Sigil, or have returned to their homelands from which they were originally taken when they were indentured to Asgof. The War of Emperors During this time, the vigilance of the Lions of Justice under Lord Travian, together with the omnipresent roadwardens of the Parthenian Order, kept the roads and peoples of the Kingdom of the West safe and deliveries of food and goods flowing when all magical means of doing so vanished. The Imperium was not so fortunate. When the old magic fell, so did the Imperium. The magical lines of communication and transport which had bound the vast state together were gone, and opportunistic factions leapt at the chance. The four provinces (the Occident, Orient, Roma, and Greka) each declared themselves to be an independent empire. Roma and Greka quickly reconciled, and declared the return of the Imperium. The other provinces, however, refused to rejoin. The Empire of the Sun (formerly the Orient Province) fought the Imperium to a bloody standstill. The Occidental Empire fought with the Imperium, but was weakened by horrific infighting between House Marvad and House Julius for control of the new empire. Only the viciousness of the conscripts freed from the monstrous fight pits of the Occident kept the Imperium from re-establishing its hold. Within a year of signing the Imperial Truce, the Undertower was overrun by subterranean horrors. Nightmares from across the planescape, long held prisoner by the Nulls, overran the fledgling empire. The Occidental Empire collapsed into a collection of heavily defended city-states in a vast region of war-torn lawlessness and chaos that became known as the Harrowlands. This terrible war is now called the War of Emperors. The Second Dawning The Kingdom of the West was forced to close the eastern border to prevent the carnage from entering. The kingdom was hard-pressed to stem the tide, and enforce the peace, until the aging enchanter Tenseval Taine devised a new method for animating constructs, one involving the fusing of a willing warrior's soul into a body forged for war in the depths of Blackvault. At a time when no magic seemed to work, Taine had found a way forward. These new soldiers, the Warforged, marched into the chaos of the Occident and kept the Kingdom of the West safe. The secret of their creation died with him. Perhaps one day it will be possible again to reach the distant planes of existence and he will share this secret, but for now, it is lost. The great primal warriors of Norge, the Cherek, answered the challenge of the King of the West to any who could pacify the Harrowlands. In great ships they came, seeking fortune and honor. The locals call them "goliaths." Razorclaw shifters, or Beornings, as they are sometimes called, have entered society peacefully after helping Donner pacify the Plateau. Their cousins, the Longtooth shifters (sometimes called Wolven), have gradually spread throughout society from their homeland in Brighton County. Always present in the Imperium, though usually hidden, the Tieflings have now become more open as the War of Emperors tore apart Imperial society. Some have even been permitted into the Kingdom of the West as refugees. The Prime Material remained the most powerful plane (being the central plane of existence). With Vorn Kalak defeated, Strahd von Zarovich and the Dark Lords of Ravenloft conquered the Negative Material Plane and the Plane of Shadow in the name of the Dark Powers. The three realms have merged to form the Shadowfell. The masters of the Positive Material plane, concerned at the dangers posed by the Shadowfell, chose to surrender their realm entirely in order to become mortal and defend the Prime Material. They now walk among mortals as the Devas, reincarnating whenever they are felled to carry out their holy charge. The masters of the Feywild chose to draw closer to the Prime Material, to provide a counterbalance to the Shadowfell. Its denizens now appear freely at these close touchpoints (such as in the Evergreen Wood). This era, called the "Second Dawning," began just over 200 years ago with the crowning of King Donner. The Age of Heroes Over time, some individuals found that they could tap into the power of the Prime Material directly, and could use that to make some of the old magic awaken -- often in a limited or vastly altered manner. They also found that they could expand their abilities quickly, and make huge intuitive leaps forward in skill and power. These are called Heroes. Some are Heroes of the Blood, descended directly from past legends. Others are Heroes of Yore, living legends who have regained some ability after all was taken from them. Yet others are Heroes of Fate, touched with the power and ability of a Hero for no discernible reason. (See Character Creation Options for related background rules.) After a time, some Heroes found ways to reopen ways to the other planes by using their newfound powers. The denizens of the other planes remain barred from opening ways to the Prime, but they can make use of those ways opened by Heroes. The old ways are gone, and new threats arise. It is the Age of Heroes.